"A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in." Frederick The Great.

Michael McGarrity has a sense of the Southwest and his description of the character, Kevin Kerney is clear and delightful. His actions remind me of the true cowboy and the role that Clint Eastwood played in Unforgiven.

Kevin Kerney is a childhood rodeo star who went on to be a well respected detective until he was given a medical retirement due to an on the job injury in Santa Fe.

He's working as a seasonal ranger in the Gila Wilderness and attempting to earn money to restore an abandoned homeland and set up a cattle operation.

He gets a call about a possible poaching and the rancher who called it in, thinks that it might be from a trophy hunter.

There are vivid descriptions of the rough terrain of the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico. We observe the gritty people who keep to themselves and are generally mistrustful of strangers. However, there are secrets behind their stoicism.

The author describes events about two families. The Cox family has something that they have kept hidden for sixty years, the Padililla family lost something during that time and want to see justice done.

I enjoyed the images of the southwest and the rugged cowboy turned police detective. Kerney is the wounded warrior who is still proud of the work he does and tries to bring justice to the wild west.